UPPER SAUCON TWP., Pa. — Former NFL player and Parkland graduate Andre Williams said that when he saw his son Barron for the first time, he understood his meaning.
“I saw a reason for my meaning in the experience of meeting my son for the first time," Williams said. "And that meaning is legacy."
- Former NFL player and Parkland graduate Andre Williams was keynote speaker for the Young Professionals Council Leadership Summit at DeSales University
- Williams said the best way to build a legacy is to share ideas and then invest in them
- The Young Professionals Council, which is part of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, gives advice and inspiration to young Lehigh Valley professionals
Williams on Friday was keynote speaker for the Young Professionals Council Leadership Summit at DeSales University.
The Young Professionals Council is part of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce.
“It doesn’t have to be January 1st for you to sharpen your resolve for getting your goals done this year."Andre Williams, former NFL player and Parkland graduate
Williams told the audience of approximately 100 people that the best way to build a legacy is to share ideas and then invest in them. He spoke about his passion for martial arts and his denim clothing lines, AW Selvidge and DKShin.
“I believe that they are my best ideas, hands down," Williams said. "I'll never put these two ideas down. And I'm going to share them, I'm going to polish and invest in them, and I’m going to cherish them.”
Williams said he believes consistency and discipline are the keys to completing goals.
“It doesn’t have to be January 1st for you to sharpen your resolve for getting your goals done this year,” Williams said.
Williams said his goals this year are to show reverence to God, write his book, learn Spanish and exercise daily, even if he only completes a “not as intense” routine of 100 nonstop pushups.
Andre Williams
Williams, 30, is a 2010 Parkland High School graduate who spent four years as a running back in the NFL. He has played for the New York Giants, Los Angeles Chargers and Houston Roughnecks.
Williams now owns two clothing lines: AW Selvidge, which focuses on classic jeans that can accommodate muscular body types, and DKShin, which has softer fabric, moto-style stitching and black leather patches at the knee.
Williams closed his storefront in the Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley last October but he plans to open a new storefront at Lehigh Valley Mall this spring.
Young Professionals Council
The chamber’s Young Professionals Council is a group for young professionals in the valley.
Chamber Vice President of Diversity Councils Brittany Keal, who leads the council, said its aim is to support young professionals in the region.
“Our main goal is to give advice and inspiration back to Lehigh Valley young professionals, knowing they’ll be future leaders of the valley,” Keal said.
Digital Content Producer Samara Ahmed contributed to this report.
